Many portable electronic devices now comprise displays that can be rotated with respect to the keyboard or vice versa. For example, these devices usually allow the display to be rotated 90 degrees with respect to the keyboard. This extended configuration exposes the device and the extended portion, in particular, to increased damage as a result of an impact force such as those experienced by dropping the device, bumping the device, etc. The coupling mechanisms implemented on the device for allowing these extended configurations generally do not provide any type of protection from these impact forces.